1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wound dressings. In particular, it relates to wound dressings which are inserted directly into open wounds and which are combined with a suction system that provides for enhanced drainage of the wound to facilitate rapid healing. The device includes a sealant to provide a leak proof seal around the periphery of the dressing. In addition, optional antibacterial agents are used by the dressing to aid healing.
2. Background Art
The treatment of wounds has resulted in the development of a variety of methods to facilitate healing. One popular technique has been to use negative pressure therapy (“NPT”), which is also known as suction or vacuum therapy. This treatment has been practiced for many years in a wide variety of locations (e.g., Europe, the Middle East, and even ancient China). A variety of NPT devices have been developed to allow exudates (i.e., body secretions) to be removed while at the same time isolating the wound to protect it so that its recovery time is reduced.
A more recently developed form of NPT is known as vacuum assisted closure (“VAC”) techniques. The use of VAC techniques in the treatment of wounds is based on the premise that when controlled negative pressure is applied to a wound, it stimulates mitosis, which forms new vessels and closes the wound. Studies have shown that this treatment assists wound healing by providing a moist protective environment, by reducing peripheral edema around the wound, by stimulating circulation to the wound bed, by decreasing bacterial colonization, and by increasing the rate of granulation tissue formation and epithelialization.
NPT is useful in the treatment of a variety of wound types, including acute, subacute, chronic, traumatic, graphs, flaps, pressure ulcers, and diabetic ulcers. NPT has been shown to facilitate healing in deep wounds or cavity wounds due to its vacuum characteristics. In particular, it allows the dead tissue, debris, and/or exudates to be drawn from the wound area under vacuum pressure which increases the rate of healing.
Several other methods of wound draining, in addition to the NPT and VAC, methods discussed above, are known. For example, suction therapy, drain therapy, electrical simulation, and even the use of leaches. All of these techniques are directed to the same goal, which is the removal of dead tissue, exudates, and any other contaminants in a wound.
These methods use devices that have been developed for use in treatment of a variety of wound types, including cuts, burns, and other injuries. They typically include a watertight seal over the wound. Generally, the watertight seal is adhered to the portion of the outer skin which surrounds the wound area. By forming a watertight seal, contaminants are prevented from accessing the wound and fluids accumulating in the wound area are prevented from leaking through the wound dressing. Isolation of the wound therefore helps not only the recovery process, but also prevents exposure of contaminated exudates to others. However, the production of body fluids during healing process creates a problem and that they interfere with the healing process if they are allowed to accumulate. As a result, a number of devices have been developed to assist drainage in the wound area for the purpose of aiding the body during natural healing process.
One type of wound dressing uses a porous foam insert which is inserted into a wound. Typically, a drainage tube, a drainage pump, and a dressing cover are combined with the porous foam insert to form a system which siphons exudates from the wound. There are problems associated with this type of dressing. For example, because the foam has a memory as to its shape, it may leave gaps inside the wound cavity rather than filling the entire cavity. Likewise, since the drainage tube extends from the porous foam insert through the dressing cover, if the drainage cover is not adequately sealed in the area where the drainage tube exits, then there can be leakage in either direction. If this occurs, the wound is subject to contamination, and the exudates which leak out may expose others to infection. Further, the more an individual patient moves about, the more likely it is that this type of wound dressing will fail and create leakage. It would be desirable to have a wound dressing which is capable of filling the wound cavity, sealing a wound in the location of the drainage tube, and maintaining a leak proof seal when the patient is mobile.
Another type of dressing has been developed which uses a flexible single piece dressing that has a unitary structure which combines a drainage tube as an integral part of the outer wound cover. In addition, this type of single piece dressing may have flexible risers to lift the central portion of the dressing away from the wound for the purpose of allowing fluid flow to reach the entry port of the wound drainage tube. This type of dressing does not provide for packing the wound so that it can heal from bottom up. Likewise, it does not provide any method of distributing medications or antibiotic preparations to the wound. It would be desirable to have a wound dressing system which provides for packing a wound to facilitate its healing from the bottom up.
While addressing the basic need to protect wounds during the healing process, the prior art has failed to provide a wound treatment system which packs the wound, which provides inputs for preparations to be applied to the wounds, which drains exudates from the wounds, and which seals the area of the wound to prevent both contamination of the wound and/or contamination of the area outside of the dressing due to leakage from the wound dressing.